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Hunting and Fishing Day to be celebrated

The 40th anniversary of National Hunting and Fishing Day (NH&FD) on Saturday will be a busy day for outdoors folk.

New, relocated, and upgraded programs will be offered at sites around Western New York on Saturday as well as Sunday.

The Erie County Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs will set up at Elma Conservation Club this year with more than a dozen major informational displays and interactive events at 600 Creek Road. This new location will allow for expanded field and pond-side exhibits and demonstrations.

Attendees can shoot trap, archery, or crossbow, learn about stocking efforts and area-specific fishing tips and much more during this family-friendly event held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on club grounds.

Federation club experts and DEC personnel will conduct learning stations at various times of the day during this free event, open to all.

For more details, go to eriectyfsc.org.

Genesee County has two NH&FD events set for Saturday.

The Genesee County Federation of Sportsmen will be hosting outdoors activities at the Godfrey's Pond complex in Stafford east of Batavia this Saturday and Sunday.

The Genesee County Fish and Game Protective Association, keepers of Godfrey's Pond, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009 of the 235-acre outdoors area with its 40-acre pond. Visitors can enjoy the association's wildlife displays and tour the club's beautiful grounds while viewing the many NH&FD exhibits.

For more information on this new event, call (585) 815-1545 or go to godfreyspond.org.

The Wyoming/Genesee County Chapter of Pheasants Forever offers its annual Youth Day at Osborn's Hunting Preserve on Alley Road in Darien Center starting at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Youths (ages 12 to 17) can gain gun and archery education at seven activity stations. Lunch is included and kids can enjoy a supervised 2-bird hunt after completing all instruction.

Tom Kelsey, chapter president, notes that this event is an expanded version of the successful youth day first presented last year.

The popular NH&FD event at DEC Headquarters in Avon will still be held, but this year its sponsorship will be with be the Livingston County Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs as well as DEC personnel.

This well-attended weekend event offers free shuttle service within a mile of the site at 6274 East Avon-Lima Road (Routes 5 and 20) east of Avon.

All Avon events are free and include exhibits, demonstrations, and a sportsmen's flea market both days: Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Lunch and snacks are available for purchase.

More details can be viewed at region8@gw.dec.state.ny.us.

The 26th annual Wildlife Festival at the New York Power Authority's Niagara Power Vista is a powerful display of many things outdoors.

Booked as hands-on fun for the whole family, this festival goes rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the Power Vista on 5777 Lewiston Road (Route 104) in Lewiston.

Exhibits include Liberty the Bald Eagle and other exotic animals, a fishing pond, conservation activities, energy expos, area outdoors club activities, and other displays and activities that can be viewed in whatever weather comes down the lower Niagara River gorge.

The event offers free admission and parking each day. For more details, go to nypa.gov/vc/Niagara.htm.